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Curious about all those Region B Hammer Blu-rays from overseas, the ones requiring a region-free player? As a public service, Savant has solicited an expert opinion (you'll have to take my word for that) of a film restoration/transfer specialist who is also an informed fan of the filmic output of the little horror studio at Bray. I know, real Hammer fans buy first and worry about quality later, but this little guide might be of help to the rest of us budget-conscious collectors.

A 'Guest' article Written by a trusted Savant correspondent.

(Note: I receive plenty of emails asking for advice about the quality of Region B Blu-rays, most of which I don't see. I have access to industry people qualified to compare and judge the discs, but they stay off the record, because their employers forbid them to go online with their opinions. They must sometimes simmer in

A renowned scientist and a team of expert archaeologists are on a journey to find the lost tomb of pharaoh Kah-to-Bey. Having ignored warnings of a deathly curse, the expedition unearths the pharaoh’s final resting place, accidentally unleashing a vengeful spirit...

There’s nothing quite like a good mummified horror film set in the golden age of Egyptology. So it’s really quite a shame that The Mummy’s Shroud is nothing like one of those horror films.

From scene one onward, it is a constant struggle to maintain interest in this story. We’re spoon-fed every single morsel of plot, and it quickly becomes annoying. Over-egged narration, campy flashbacks, gypsies with crystal balls; you name a clichéd story mechanic, and you can be certain John Gilling has wedged it right in there.

★★★☆☆ After the success of the Daniel Radcliffe-starring chiller The Woman in Black (2012) earlier this year, Hammer Films are on a bit of a high once again and you can now treat yourself to the latest high definition releases from the extensive back catalogue of the horror giants. The newest wave of entries in the studios ongoing restoration series sees three Blu-rays of enjoyable horrors from the latter half of the 1960s; Rasputin: The Mad Monk (1966), The Mummy's Shroud (1967) and The Devil Rides Out (1968).

Hammer applies its trademark Gothic veneer with considerably greater care than usual in this, the second and best of the company's three stabs at the satanic stylings of author Dennis Wheatley. Christopher Lee comes over to the light for a rare foray as central hero the Duc de Richleau, teaming up with friend Rex van Rijn (Leon Greene) to prevent the evil Satanist Mocata (Charles Gray) from enmeshing the son of his old friend (Patrick Mower) into a devil-worshipping cult.

The Devil Rides Out is perhaps best remembered for what Lee argues in his commentary to be Hammer's most enduring image, that of our heroes fighting a series of spectral and psychological nemeses from within the protective confines of a ritual circle. And yet the most chilling scene contains no special effects, but is instead a simple conversation between the wife

Ever since 1951, Bray Studios have had a special place in Britain's film culture. Now, unable to compete in a changing market, they will finally close. A media centre will open in their place, suitable for making small scale TV projects, and local councillors have called for a memorial to be erected in recognition of their contribution to the Berkshire economy.

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